Alexander Volkanovski Predicts Quillan Salkilld Will Smoke Benoit Saint Denis
Alexander Volkanovski has backed Quillan Salkilld to dominate Benoit Saint Denis, confidently predicting that the Australian lightweight will smoke his opponent in their upcoming fight.
The UFC has confirmed that the Australian lightweight Quillan Salkilld will take on Benoit Saint Denis in a five-round lightweight main event at UFC Fight Night Sydney. The fight is set for February 6, 2027, at Afterpay Arena in Sydney, which will be February 7 in Australia. Ahead of it, Australian legend Alexander Volkanovski has made his prediction: he believes Salkilld is going to knock Saint Denis out, and badly.
Alexander Volkanovski Picks Quillan Salkilld to Defeat Benoit Saint Denis
Volkanovski is high on Quillan Salkilld ahead of his next fight. He likes Benoît Saint Denis too, but he is happy for Salkilld and calls it a big fight. In his view, a win gets him right into the picture, close to big names. Beat him, and Salkilld should be fighting the likes of Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett next, then a shot at the title. Volkanovski asked how he could not get one after that, and called the opportunity huge.
He wrote, “I like BSD. Quillen smokes. Happy for Quillen. That’s a big fight. Obviously, it gets him right there as well. Gets him right in the picture of, well, I mean, sort of even the Gamrot, right? Gets him right in that picture. But BSD, he’s pretty, pretty high up. So he’s now getting closer and closer. And we’re talking about how stacked that division is.”
For those who don't know, Salkilld has been tearing through opponents. His last four fights all ended in the first round, including the 19-second finish of Anshul Jubli. He is on a 13-fight winning streak and hasn't lost since his first fight. A win over Saint Denis, especially if he finishes it in style again, would put him right in the contender picture.
Benoit Saint Denis Could Ruin Quillan Salkilld’s Rise
Saint Denis has every tool to upset a star like Salkilld. He is 4-1 over his last five fights and is known for a highly aggressive, finishing style. His recent run featured a strong multi-fight winning streak, followed by a first-round submission loss to Paddy Pimblett in his most recent outing.
He has beaten Mauricio Ruffy, Dan Hooker and Beneil Dariush, which makes him a fighter nobody can afford to ignore. Salkilld has been on a tear, but as Volkanovski pointed out, a win over Saint Denis would be the biggest of his career. The Frenchman knows how to play the spoiler, and he has shown it against plenty of opponents along the way.
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